Fourths to frederick j



Patented Dec. I3, I898.

a. E. MITTINGER, 1n. TBDLLEY WHEEL REPLACER.

(Application filed Sept. 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

UNITED (STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. MITTINGER, JR., OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO FREDERICK J. SOHWEITZER, OF SAME PLACE.

TROLLEY-WHEEL REPLACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,061, dated December 13, 1898 Application filed September 2, 1898. $erial No. 690,108. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. MITTINGER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley -Whee1s and Replacers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in a combined trolley-wheel and replacer, and pertains to a construction embodying three separate and detachable portions, all of which will be fully described hereinafter.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide a combined trolley-wheel and replacer made into detachable sections, whereby the trolley-wheel can be detached from the replacing-sections and another one substituted therefor when the trolley-wheel is worn or injured, and whereby either one or both of the replacing sections may be detached and another substituted therefor should either or both become injured.

Another feature of .my present invention pertains to the manner in which the sections are held in their operative positions through the medium of the supporting-arms or hanger.

A further feature of my present invention pertains to the manner of adjusting the bearings, whereby the bearings are adjusted and the several sections of the combined trolley and replacer are held in position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined trolley and re placer which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the center thereof.

A indicates a trolley-hanger, which may be made of the form here shown or of any other desired form without affecting in any manner my invention.

The trolley-wheel B is situated between the inner ends of the replacing-sections O, situated at either side thereof, and these replacing-sections are conical in general outline and provided, respectively, with a right and a left threaded groove D. The grooves of these sections gradually merge into the opposite edges of the grooved periphery of the trolleywheel B, whereby should the trolleywheel become displaced it is only necessary to have either of these replacing-sections engage the wire, when the revolution thereof will at once carry the wire into the groove of the trolleywheel, as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

My present invention pertains to making the combined trolley and replacing sections separate and detachable and also to their specific construction, which I will now proceed to explain.

The trolley-wheel B is provided with an overreaching flange a at each side thereof, which flange overlaps the inner ends I) of the spiral conical replacing-sections 0, whereby the inner ends of the replacing-sections fit loosely within the-flanges a, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The opposite and outer ends of the replacing-sections O are provided with bearing cups or blocks E, and the supportingarms or hanger E are provided with oppositely-projecting bearing blocks or cups G. It will be noted from this description that the several sections of the combined trolley and replaeer are held together in their operative positions through the medium of the supporting-arm of the hanger A, and in order to detach the trolley-wheels and the replacing-sections it is only necessary to loosen the bear ings either by the movement of the bearing blocks G of the hanger-arm or by the movement of one or both of the hanger-arms away from the end or ends of the replacing-sections. When this is done, the trolley-wheel and the replacing-sections drop apart and either may be taken out and another section substituted therefor.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my preferred manner of effecting the above result, which consists in providing the extremities of the arms E with'screw-threaded openings 0, through which the bearingblocks G are adapted to be endwise adjusted and clamped in position by the lock-nuts e, which screw upon the outer ends of the bearing-blocks G and abut against the outer side of the hanger-arms E, thus locking firmly the bearing-blocks G in their adjusted posi tion. To detach either or all of the sections, it is only necessary to remove or to adjust outward either one or both of the bearingblocks G of the hanger-arm, which will'permit the sections to drop apart, as will be readily understood, and to place the parts into operative position it is only necessary to place the abutting ends and sides of the trolleywheel and replacing-sections into the position shown in Fig. 2 and adjust the bearings for supporting them in this position. I prefer to provide means for preventing the independent turning of the trolley-wheel and the replacing-sections, and this is accomplished by providing the projecting flanges a of the trolley-wheel with small lugs, which enter grooves in the flanges b of the replacing-sections, these grooves being formed in the first place by simply forcing the sheet-metal edges 1) of the replacing-sections within the flanges 0t. IVhile any desired form of hearing may be used for supporting these several sections without departing from the spirit of my invention, I prefer the form illustrated in Fig. 2, which consists of the bearing-blocks II, inserted in the outer ends of the replacing-sections, and to provide these bearing-blocks II with a concentric ball-bearing cavity I, into which is placed a single large ball J, having its outer periphery projecting beyond the cavity, and the bearing-block G, provided with correspondingly shaped ball bearing cavities K, into which the projecting portion of the ball J extends, whereby a bearing is provided in which but a single ball is necessary. This arrangement is found to make an easy-running bearing, and owing to the use of a large ball a good electrical contact is provided between the trolley-wheel and replacing sections and the hanger arms E. The bearing-blocks II and G have the ballbearing recesses L, extending beyond the bearing of the ball J, whereby a cavity is provided into which the dust and dirt will enter instead of collecting upon the ball-bearing surface 6 in that the relative turning of the ball and the hearing will cut any dirt therefrom.

I have here shown and prefer to use a trolley-wheel B formed of sheet metal, and which forms the subject-matter of a separate and concurrently-pending application, though other forms of trolley-wheels may be used in connection with my replacing-sections without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Likewise the replacing-sections C are preferably formed of sheet metal, as illustrated, though this maybe made of other forms without departing from that part of my present invention which pertains to making the trolley-wheel and replacing-sections separate and supporting them as before described and illustrated.

The replacing-sections are formed of sheet metal, as before stated, and the spiral grooves formed therein, so that there are no scams or roughness upon the outer side of these sheetmetal replacing-sections, and the outer ends of these sections are provided with integral inwa rdly-proj ectin g bcarin g or shaft-s11 pporting block cavities or chambers formed by drawing or stamping inward the metal, as shown clearly at f. These chambers form firm and secure seats and receptacles for the balls or shaft-supporting blocks 11 and make a very strong and light construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--- 1. A trolley and replacer comprising separate replacing-sections, a trolley-wheel situated between and supported by the inner ends of the replacing sections, and supporting members engaging the ends of the replacingsections and holding them in contact with the trolley-wheel, whereby the latter is supported by the replacing-sections, substantially as described.

2. A trolley and replacer comprising separate replacing-sections, a trolley-wheel situated therebetween' and having oppositely-extending flanges or projections, the inner ends of the replacing-sections fitting within the flanges or projections, and supporting members engaging the outer ends of the replacingsections and holding them in contact with the trolley, whereby the replacing-sections support the trolley, and the members are readily attached and detached as desired, substantially as described.

3. A combined trolley and replacer comprising a trolley-section, replacing-sections at opposite sides thereof and separate therefrom, but abutting thereagainst, supportingarms at the outer ends of the replacing-sections, the supporting-arms and the replacingsections having an abutting bearing serving to hold the sides and ends of the trolley and replacing sections in contact, substantially as described.

4. A combined trolley and replacer comprising separate trolley and replacing sections, the replacing-sections having in their outer ends inwardlyprojecting concentric ball-cavities, the supporting-arms having a bearing-block with a ball-recess registering with the recess of the replacing-sections, and a single ball arranged in the cavities, substantially as described.

5. A trolley and replacer comprising separate trolley and replacing sections, the re-' placing-sections having at their outer ends a concentric ball-cavity, the supporting-arms or hanger provided with transverse openings, bearing blocks longitudinally adjustable through the said openings and having ball cavities registering with the cavities of the replacing-sections, and a single ball situated within the ball-cavities, whereby the bearings are adjusted; the sections clamped together, and adapted to be detached by the adjustment of the bearing-block in the supporting-arms of the hanger, substantially as described.

6. A replacing-section consisting of sheet metal tapered toward its outer ends and pro- ICC vided with a spiral groove formed by depressing the sheet metal, substantially as described.

7. A sheet-metal replacing-section for trolley-wheels consisting of a truncated sheetrnetalcone having formed directly therein a spiral groove by depressing the outer surface thereof as illustrated, and having an integral inwardly-proj ectin g U -shaped wall forming a bearing or shaft-supporting block cavity, sub- [0 stantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE E. MITTINGER, JR. Witnesses:

GEORGE SINN, J. H. SALTSMAN. 

